Saitama
Travel plans
Northern Saitama: Ancient Burial Mounds, a 'Floating Castle' & the Father of Japanese Capitalism — 2 Days
The giant Sakitama burial mounds and their National Treasure sword, Gyoda's 'floating castle' and zelly-fry soul food, then an ancient-lotus tower, Shibusawa Eiichi's birthplace and a red-brick station
Western Saitama for Families: Moominvalley, Lakeside Forests & Sayama Tea — 2 Days
The lakeside Moominvalley Park and Nordic Metsä village, then a fairy-tale children's forest, a Sayama tea museum and farm, and a river bend of red spider lilies in season
Omiya: Japan's Flagship Railway Museum, the Bonsai Village & the Great Hikawa Shrine — 2 Days
Japan's flagship Railway Museum and the master nurseries of the Bonsai Village, then the long cedar approach to the head Hikawa Shrine, a bonsai class and Urawa eel
Chichibu & Nagatoro: Mountain Shrines, Silk & a Wooden Boat Down the Arakawa — 2 Days
Chichibu's two-thousand-year shrine and Meisen silk, the wolf-shrine of Mitsumine, then Nagatoro's Mount Hodo and a flat-bottomed boat down the Arakawa gorge
First-Time Saitama: Kawagoe, the 'Little Edo' of Warehouse Streets — 2 Days
The clay-walled warehouse street and bell tower of 'Little Edo', the sweet-potato candy lane and an Edo eel house — then Kita-in's five hundred rakan and the surviving castle palace
Saitama travel guides
Chichibu & Nagatoro Guide 2026: Shrines, Silk & River Boats
Kawagoe 'Little Edo' Guide 2026: Warehouses, Bell Tower & Eel
Moominvalley Park & Sayama Tea Guide 2026: Western Saitama
Northern Saitama Guide 2026: Burial Mounds, Castle & Shibusawa
